Digital identification and QES in the notarial sector: A complete guide

Long known for its rigorous regulatory obligations and reliance on face-to-face interactions, the notarial sector faces unique challenges to digitalise its operations without compromising its core responsibilities. Requirements linked to Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), and strict archiving standards have tied notarial work to paper-based processes and physical meetings—making digital transformation challenging. At the same time, failing to embrace digitalisation puts the sector at a significant disadvantage in an increasingly digital world. 

Digital identity technology is proving to be a key enabler for the digitalisation of the notarial sector. It allows notaries to remotely verify clients in minutes, authenticate actions with multi-factor security, and confirm legally binding interactions with a few clicks, all while meeting the highest standards of compliance. Verified digital identity providers like itsme^® go even further than this, also offering qualified electronic signatures (QES) that carry the same legal weight as handwritten signatures, and enabling the secure sharing of verified data from various vaults (currently only available in Belgium). 

The Royal Federation of Belgian Notaries (FedNot) and the Royal Dutch Association of Civil-law Notaries (KNB) trusted itsme^® to digitalise key aspects of their identity verification and signing processes. Both entities serve as evidence that even one of the most regulated professions in Europe can move confidently into the digital age. 

This blog answers some of the most frequently asked questions about how digital identity tools are enabling secure, compliant, and user-friendly transformation in the notarial sector—drawing on insights from FedNot, KNB, and experts at itsme^®. 

Digitalisation has become a critical concern within the notarial profession in response to the profound impact of digital developments on administrative practices. Traditional notarial processes place a heavy burden on both notaries and clients. On the one hand, clients must be physically present during office hours to complete transactions—often forcing them to take time off work, close their business, or travel long distances, all at added cost and inconvenience. On the other hand, offline notarial procedures generate mountains of paperwork for notaries that must later be digitised and archived—creating inefficiencies and fragmenting data across silos. 

With legal, operational, and client-facing advantages, digital workflows are increasingly essential to the profession’s evolution. Digitalisation in the notarial sector is not about replacing traditional services, but about offering a secure, compliant, and modern alternative that meets today’s expectations for accessibility, trust, and efficiency.

Digitalisation enables notaries to streamline workflows, boost efficiency, boost the client experience, and reduce legal and operational risk. It also ensures better data protection by keeping personal information in secure, connected systems—minimising the risk of unauthorised access, over-retention, and GDPR breaches. As more public services move online, digitalisation will enable notaries to balance legal certainty with modern expectations of accessibility and convenience.  

Secure digital identity and e-signing technologies enable notaries to remotely serve individuals and legal entities without compromising trust, compliance, or procedural integrity, facilitating smooth, remote signing experiences for clients. 

• Regulatory compliance and readiness for evolving legislation: Digital identity solutions provide high levels of identity assurance—critical for the sensitive nature of notarial work. They come equipped to conduct identification, authentication and e-signature processes in full compliance with AML/KYC regulations, DORA, eIDAS 2.0, and GDPR (AVG in the Netherlands). As regulatory demands intensify across Europe—driven by eIDAS 2.0, NIS2, and PSD3—notaries must integrate fraud resistance and strong customer authentication into their digital services, such as multi-factor authentication. Digital identity solutions enable notaries to embed compliant, tamper-proof identity checks directly into workflows, supporting legal certainty, reducing liability, and minimising manual oversight. 

• Operational efficiency, reduced burden and less human error: Automating routine tasks like archiving, identity checks, and audit trails allows notaries to focus on higher-value legal work. By using verified digital identity, internal operations become more efficient, enabling better resource use and faster service delivery. Standardised digital workflows also reduce the risk of human error and ensure consistent compliance. 

• Client expectations and service accessibility: Clients—whether individuals, businesses, or institutional partners—expect digital convenience. Secure digital tools enable remote notarial services, making them more accessible to people who are constrained by geography, work schedules, or health. itsme^®, for instance, allows a new user to create an account and get their identity digitally verified within 90 seconds on average, after which they can proceed to securely digitally sign a document within seconds.  

• Stronger data governance and interoperability: Digital identity providers like itsme^® support data minimisation by design, allowing clients to only share identity information that is strictly necessary. This strengthens data governance and privacy compliance.

• Protection against evolving cyber threats: As phishing, identity fraud, and AI-powered document forgery grow more sophisticated, digital workflows offer far stronger protection than manual processes. Secure authentication, qualified electronic signatures, and traceable digital interactions reduce exposure to fraud, breaches, and reputational risk. 

Securely future proof your operations with qualified electronic signatures

Qualified electronic signatures (QES) and digital identification preserve the same level of legal certainty, trust, and procedural rigour as traditional methods—while enabling modern, streamlined operations that enhance the customer experience:

• Ensure clear identity ownership of the signer: High-assurance digital identity methods—such as those provided by government-recognised providers like itsme^®—verify the identity of the signer beyond doubt. This guarantees non-repudiation, meaning the signature can be definitively linked to the individual who signed, helping uphold the legal enforceability of notarial deeds.  

• Protect personal data and ensure GDPR compliance: Verified digital identity and QES providers should comply with GDPR and ensure sensitive data is stored in a secure, jurisdictionally appropriate environment. Additionally, using digital identity tools that rely on EU-based cloud providers helps mitigate risks related to cross-border data transfers and reinforces privacy standards. 

• Maintain confidentiality and traceability: Notarial work involves sensitive legal and financial data. A secure digital workflow includes tamper-proof audit trails and time-stamped logs, allowing notaries and clients to verify the authenticity, timing, and sequence of signed actions. The itsme^® QES, for instance, uses the highest level of encryption available, ensuring maximum security and effectively preventing document fraud. 

• Rely on certified, trustworthy providers: Relying on certified, trustworthy digital identity providers is essential for notaries aiming to meet today’s complex regulatory demands. Providers that are compliant with eIDAS 2.0, GDPR (AVG in the Netherlands), as well as sector-specific frameworks like DORA, NIS2, and PSD3, offer the assurance of robust data protection, operational resilience, and fraud resistance.  

• Integrate signing into end-to-end digital workflows: Security is strongest when digital signing is part of a consistent, seamless notarial process—from identity verification to document signing and secure archiving. This reduces fragmentation, strengthens internal controls, and improves the overall security posture of notarial operations. 

By following these best practices, notaries can digitalise their operations responsibly, without sacrificing legal rigour, client trust, or regulatory compliance. 

Qualified electronic signatures (QES) represent the highest level of electronic signature under the eIDAS regulation, offering the same legal value as a traditional handwritten (wer)signature. For notaries, QES ensures that digital signatures carry full legal validity, without compromising on trust, compliance, or security. 

Platforms like itsme^® enhance this process by providing 100% certainty over the identity of the signee. Each QES is linked to a verified identity using a Level of Assurance (LoA) high mechanism, ensuring that the right person is signing, and their actions can be reliably confirmed. This is essential in notarial contexts, where identity accuracy and legal integrity are non-negotiable*.

QES also protects the integrity of the document itself. Once signed, the document is sealed using the highest form of encryption, making it tamper-proof and eliminating the possibility of post-signature fraud. If the timing of the signature is critical—as is often the case in legal or contractual acts—QES provides a secure, verifiable timestamp to prove when the signature took place. 

In addition to its legal and security advantages, QES simplifies the notarial workflow. It is easy to use, reduces the need for physical paperwork, and enables fast, compliant e-archiving—eliminating the need to send documents by post or manage complex manual filing. This results in a faster, more secure experience for both clients and professionals. 

*itsme^® issues certificates based on the user’s personal identity, making it ideally suited for notarial use. For those signing in a professional role, such as notaries themselves, other sector-specific solutions like eHerkenning in the Netherlands may be more appropriate.

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Notaries utilize itsme^®'s Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) through integrated digital signing platforms. The general process is as follows:

• Document Upload: The notary uploads the document to a QES-enabled platform that supports itsme^®.

• Signature Request: The platform sends a signature request to the signer, typically via email.

• Digital Signing: Upon successful verification, the signer confirms the signature within the itsme^® app.

• Document Completion: The signed document, now bearing a qualified electronic signature and secure timestamp, is returned to the notary for archiving or further processing.

This process ensures that the signature is legally binding, secure, and compliant with eIDAS regulations.

The Royal Dutch Association of Civil-law Notaries (KNB) has partnered with itsme^® digital identity provider to develop a unified solution for digital identification and qualified electronic signing (QES). KNB also partnered with digital signature platform Zynyo, digital identity company Signicat, digital signature and identity verification platform Evidos and digital security company Entrust. These collaborations support secure, confidential QES-based signing through the Digital Passing Room (DOBV), a platform developed in-house to ensure sensitive documents remain within the KNB environment. 

itsme^® ensures the highest level of identity assurance for both citizens and professionals by utilising Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which employs cryptographic keys and digital certificates to authenticate identities securely.

The Zynyo platform offers an on-premise solution, ensuring that all data, including signed documents, is stored exclusively within KNB’s infrastructure. This approach significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access, particularly from foreign governments, addressing concerns over digital sovereignty. Unlike some US-based digital signing platforms, whose terms may permit government access under certain conditions, this setup provides European notaries with a secure and compliant alternative.

This initiative aligns with KNB’s preparations for eIDAS 2.0, which will introduce digital wallets, enabling individuals to securely store and manage their identification, electronic signatures, and authorisations on their mobile devices. By leveraging the latest technologies, KNB ensures maximum trust, legal validity, and streamlined processes across notarial operations. 

To ensure that its members remain equipped for this digital shift, KNB also invests in training, ongoing education, and an extensive knowledge base that is available online. These resources help notaries stay informed about developments in e-signatures, eID, and digital transformation more broadly.

In Belgium, digital signing is firmly embedded in notarial practice. In 2024 alone, over 85,000 notarial deeds were signed using itsme^®’s QES through the Belgian federation of notaries (FedNot).  By 2024, Belgium granted digital signatures the same legal status as traditional handwritten ones, provided that they meet specific technical and security criteria. This made it possible to sign all types of acts in the country digitally, such as mortgage deeds, establishing a business, and powers of attorney.  

To support the success of digital signing, FedNot has put in place best practices. One is clear, proactive client communication. Notaries notify clients in advance via email about upcoming signature requests, helping them recognise legitimate communications and avoid falling victim to phishing or spam.  

To keep digital services attractive to both clients and notaries, FedNot also enhanced their platform with features like batch signing with qualified e-signatures. It also enabled notaries to adjust contracts during the review process before finalising the signing. These added functionalities streamline workflows and improve the overall client experience. 

itsme^® is the leading European digital identity solution designed to enable secure, user-friendly, and fully compliant identification and signing. It stands out for combining the highest levels of trust, legal validity, and ease of use—all essential elements for sectors like notarial services where security and certainty are non-negotiable. 

At its core, itsme^® allows users to identify themselves, log in without passwords, confirm transactions, and sign documents—all with the highest legal standard. With 7.5 million users across Europe, the platform supports 35 to 40 million actions each month on more than 3,000 platforms in 17 countries. It is integrated with 14 document solutions, offering broad compatibility and ease of implementation for professionals. These capabilities position itsme^® Europe’s leading digital identity solution. 

• itsme^® delivers the highest level of identity assurance for both citizens and professionals by leveraging Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which utilizes cryptographic keys and digital certificates to securely authenticate identities.

• Each signature is directly linked to a verified identity, incorporating the signer's age and a secure timestamp. Documents are encrypted to prevent post-signature alterations, ensuring a tamper-proof audit trail and full legal certainty—providing notaries with robust protection against forgery or disputes.

• As a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) since 2018, itsme^® complies with the stringent standards of the eIDAS Regulation, offering the highest level of assurance in both identification and signing.

• itsme^® is GDPR-compliant and holds the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, demonstrating rigorous information security and data protection practices. This makes it a trusted tool for digitizing notarial workflows without compromising confidentiality, sovereignty, or legal integrity.

• By adhering to European data protection standards, itsme^® supports digital sovereignty—an essential requirement for trusted cross-border digital services.

From a user perspective, itsme^® offers a smooth experience: clients can create an account in a few minutes and use it across multiple scenarios—from identity verification to signing—with full control and transparency. This is particularly valuable in notarial settings where users must trust every step of the process.

Learn more about itsme^®, the leading digital ID provider in Europe

Yes. A qualified electronic signature (QES) always requires strong identity verification. With itsme^®, this step is fast, secure, and fully compliant with legal standards. Identity verification confirms who is signing, and the QES attaches a legally binding signature to the document, with the same legal value as a handwritten one under eIDAS. 

Once a user has created an itsme^® account and keeps the app installed, their account remains active indefinitely. If they choose to delete the app or their account, itsme^® is still required to retain identity data related to any QES transaction for at least 10 years to comply with legal archiving requirements. The validity of past signatures, however, is never affected—even if the signer no longer has an active itsme^® account.